For those that have had a lapband revision

I am booked in for surgery on Feb 10.  I had a lap band for 14 years from 2000 and had it removed three months ago.  What a nightmare it was.  My surgeon said that there was quite a bit of scar tissue when he removed the band and he is not sure that I will be able to have a sleeve when I go back in Feb, he won't know until he has a look to see how it has healed since the band was removed.  I had my heart set on a sleeve but since reading all the info on these boards I am confused.  I was almost convinced I should have a RNY until I read about people having fistulas or where the old stomach adheres to the new pouch and causes issues and now I don't know what I should do.  

I am just looking for other peoples experiences who have gone from a lapband to something else, what procedure you chose or had to have and how it has worked or not worked for you.

Thanks,

Lynda

hi Lynda,  When I read you had the lapband in 2000, unless you were in a clinical trial I knew you had to be from australia.  I belonged to the bandsters@yahoo australian site for many years and still keep in contact with some of them, since I had the band right after it was FDA approved in USA.  I have severe damage, permanent irreversible damage.  the damage left by the band can be severe.  Have you had an UGI?  How about a CT with contrast?  Endosocpy?  The dr can get valuable information about scarring from those radiographic studies.  Even as a layperson, anyone can see scar tissue on UGI and CT scans, mine were very very apparent.  VSG (DS) will be the most difficult for the surgeon due to the possibilty of the leaks along a VSG post lap band are very different and much more difficult to treat, and higher morbidity/mortality than leaks post RNY, but I think your best choice.  In the hands of a very experience revision surgeon your complication rate is much lower.   Personally I would go for the VSG is you are at a normal weight, or DS if you need to lose weight, I chose the DS.  Also refer to info and pictures on scar tissue at: http://blog.dssurgery.com/2014/11/adjustable-gastric-band-easily.html

Hopefully you find answers to your questions. 

I am not at goal weight or even near it.  I am back to where I was preband so heaps of weight to lose.  I am leaning towards having the RNY after all that I have read.  I have not had a UGI or CT with contrast as I have not had any problems in that respect.  Just going off what the doc saw when he removed the band.  I don't believe he does the DS route.  My options are the sleeve or the RNY and by his comments when I had the band removed, I am gathering it is more likely to be the RNY.  

Thanks for the link I will have a look at it.

Well if you get the sleeve you could get the DS down the road.  I am a band to sleeve and am two years out with it.  My sister is 3 years out with hers and my daughter is over 4 years out.  The one problem they had was not being told how to go off PPI's.  Nobody told them they had to go thr a short period of time where it gets worse before it gets better.  All three of us are now off and reflux free.

I would for sure find a surgeon that does all the wls and talk to them about the DS.  Both the VSG and RNY come with their own issues.